Abstract [en]

By observations in seven families belonging to the Karen people, I have been able to study the attachmentpatterns in families of an indigenous group living in villages in the mountains of Northern Thailand. The purpose of the study is to observe and describe how attachment and bonding is built up in families where the children live very close to their parents, and where several generations live together. The question I brought in to the study was: ”How do family members in a Karen family bond with each other?” I studied the interaction in between children and parents, in between the parents, and sometimes in between grandparents and other family members. Interviews were added to the observations.

In the study it becomes clear that culture, physiological conditions as how the families live, as well as socio-economical factors as how the family gets there income, are all affecting the attachment patterns in the family. All families in the study are self-sufficient farmers, which makes it possible for the children to be together with their parents throughout the day. Different generations live close to each other, and the children often have several attachment figures. The children use their attachment figures as safe bases throughout their childhood, also having a lot of freedom to explore the world in and around the village. The parents are well aware about that children need a lot of time and proximity with their parents. As everyone is doing their work sitting on the floor, the children have easily access to the adults. Conversations, smiles and laughters are important parts of the bonding process in between the family members. The physical closeness in between children and parents is constantly there, while the strongest bonding factor in between the parents is the fact that they need each other.